Originally Posted by flags (Post 4102683)

Nope. Aspirin and alcohol are not the same in the way they work. When you get cold, your body begins to restrict the blood vessels in the extremities (hand, feet, finger, toes) to keep the blood in the core. Since aspirin acts as a blood thinner, it helps overcome this. This is also why they give heart attack victims aspirin, it helps make it a little easier for the heart to pump blood. Alcohol does not thin the blood it merely gives a warming sensation but by the time it goes through the digestive system it is chemically broken down and has no effect on the blood. That is why alcohol is bad because it gives the sensation without actually giving the benefit.

As to the blood being colder when it returns to the core, that would only be true if you weren't wearing gloves or boots in the first place or if you allowed everything to get cold before taking the aspirin. That is why it is recommended to begin the aspirin an hr before getting in the stand. Remember, blood is flowing so it isn't going to stay in the fingers and toes for more than a second or 2. Aspirin is so effective at this that it is even listed as one of the items recommended for people attempting to climb Mt Everest. Not the following:

Aspirin based medicines help thin blood and are very effective for a high-altitude headache.

http://www.traveladvisortips.com/top...est-gear-list/

Bottom line, the aspirin trick is something the military has used for decades for cold weather operations and training. Every cold weather mission or training evolution I've been on, aspirin has been dispensed. But I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you have never been in the service have you?

Originally Posted by vapahunter (Post 4102715)

Never take one full aspirin an hour. This is dangerous and could lead to further complications if you get hurt. Ask any doctor and see what he says. The aspiron you take for a heart attack is once and the ones you take dailey are low doss. NEVER TAKE ANY EXCESIVE DOSES OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDS. If you have your blood thinned out that much and you cut yourself you could be in big trouble fast..

Originally Posted by jrfrmn (Post 4102635)

Staying warm in a tree stand - What can I do to stay out longer?

Originally Posted by VAhuntr (Post 4102744)

I assumed flags is talking about low dose aspirin...not the full dose. That is what I would use and recommend.

Originally Posted by Murdy (Post 4102847)

I did a little more reading, and I see that there is some disagreement on whether alcohol is a blood thinner, but I also come across info that its a vasodilator, which would result in a similar effect to thinning the blood (i.e., dilated capillaries equal more blood being brought to the surface of the skin -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10...lcohol_warmth/ ). So even if the mechanism (thin blood vs dilate blood vessels) is different, the net effect would be the same (or similar).